LESSON ACTIVITIES by DUSTIN MIHM
Concordia University Wisconsin
Spring 2010
Anticipation
Activity #1: (Comprehension) A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. (Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge, establishing purpose, self-correcting and self-monitoring)
B.4.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. (Write expressive pieces in response to reading, viewing, and life experiences (narratives, reflections, and letters) employing descriptive detail and a personal voice) For this activity, I would take the entire class to the computer lab to view the opening writing prompt. The writing prompt is on writeboard.com, so they would each need a computer. The writing prompt looks into one of the main themes of the book: friendship. The prompt explains how friendship relates to the story without giving the story away. Then it asks each person to write their own meaning of friendship and how to build a stronger friendship. It will get the kids thinking about what might happen in this book regarding the three friends. For responding to the prompt, each student will have to comment on the writeboard.
Activity #2: (Vocabulary, Phonics) D.4.1 Develop their vocabulary of words, phrases, and idioms as a means of improving communication. (Consult dictionaries, thesauruses, and other resources to find and compare definitions, choose among synonyms, and spell words correctly) This activty will build some vocabulary knowledge before they start reading the book. The words on this list are difficult words that many young kids will not know. First, I would write each word up on a board in my class and ask if anyone knows any of the words. This will be good for gaining prior knowledge from anyone in the class. After that, each student will have to use a resource to figure out the meaning of each word (dictionary, internet etc.). Once they finish finding the definitions, they can get a partner and try to group the words in categories. One category could be boating/crabbing. This will use their problem solving skills to see how many different groups they can come up with. Once they finish, each pair will be able to present their groupings and tell the class why they grouped each one. Each group will have to pronounce the words to the class to practice phonic awareness.
Activity #3: (Comprehension, Vocabulary) A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. (Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge)
E.4.2 Make informed judgments about media and products. (Identify images and symbols central to particular messages) This activity is used for activating prior knowledge. The web tool shows a picture of the Corsica River, where this story takes place. There is a small map associated with this picture that shows where the Corsica River is. The class will discuss what they know about that area of the country and any information they know about living on a river. This can be a very broad topic to allow them to activate as much prior knowledge as possible regarding this picture. Some of the information may not relate to the story at all, but it will still be good to share because the students will listen and may gain something new from it.
Building Knowledge Activity #1: (Comprehension, Vocabulary) A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning) This activity calls for students to comprehend the characters in the story. There are three pictures of people in this web; each can represent anyone from the story. However, two of them are boys and one is girl, so the students have to follow the picture. They can choose any character to write about. They have to find an adjective that describes each character to put in the green boxes. After that, they have to find a sentence in the book to show how the adjective fits the character. The students will be able to analyze the story and comprehend it using this activity.
Activity #2: (Comprehension, Fluency) A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning)
B.4.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. (Write nonfiction and technical pieces (summaries, messages, informational essays, basic directions, instructions, simple reports) that convey essential details and facts and provide accurate representations of events and sequences) This activity is a journal writing. The picture here, shows a web, but in kidspiration it can be put into a writing form that could be used for journal writing. The story will be broken up into small pieces to read every day. After each reading, the students will be required to do this journal writing. These are basic questions to show that they are comprehending what they are reading. I also added a few opinion questions to allow them to write what they liked or didn't like about he reading. They will have to turn the journal entries in to me the following morning.
Activity #3: (Comprehension, Vocabulary) A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. (Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge, establishing purpose, self-correcting and self-monitoring, rereading, making predictions, finding context clues, developing visual images, applying knowledge of text structures, and adjusting reading rate according to purpose and difficulty) This activity will build knowledge about the Corsica River and living in Maryland. The prior knowledge activated from the picture shown of the Corsica River could be written in the K column of what the students already know. They can write anything they want to know about living on a river in Maryland in the second column. I may need to give them a few questions as examples or to help them figure out what they might want to know. While we read the story, this sheet could be next to them and everytime they learn something, they can write it down in the L column. This activity would be done individually. At the end of the story, the students could be broken into groups to share what they have each learned. Each person may have written something different down than everyone else.
Consolidation Activity #1: (Comprehension, Fluency, Phonics) A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning)
B.4.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. (Write expressive pieces in response to reading, viewing, and life experiences (narratives, reflections, and letters) employing descriptive detail and a personal voice) This newspaper article could be a fun activity to use in the class. Students can read the article to practice reading fluency and comprehension. I would also break the class into groups and have each person practice reading a couple sentences out loud to each other to practice phonics. Once they finish reading the article, they will have to try to find clues from the story to help Brady figure out what happened. They will work in groups to find as many clues as they can. Once the group is done finding clues, they will individually write a letter responding to the newsletter. The letter will need to be addressed properly, include the clues they found and finish with a closing salutation.
Activity #2: (Comprehension, Fluency) E.4.2 Make informed judgments about media and products. (Identify images and symbols central to particular messages)
A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning) This will be another fun activity for the students to use their listening skills. The boy in the picture just became friends with Brady, and needs help finding out what happened to Brady. The students will have to listen to him and then respond to him. Each student will create their own picture with a moving mouth. They will be able to record their answers and watch themselves talk through this picture. This will work on comprehension to know how much the students remember from the story. The fluency will come when they orally respond to Brady's new friend.
Activity #3: (Comprehension, Fluency) C.4.3 Participate effectively in discussion. (Volunteer relevant information, ask relevant questions, and answer questions directly. Reflect on the ideas and opinions of others and respond thoughtfully) This activity is called Save the Last Word for Me. Each student would get a note card and have to write a quote from the book on one side. The quote can be about anything: something they liked, something they would want to try, something they have a question about, something they disagree with etc. Once they have a quote, then they are to write multiple comments on the other side about why they chose the quote. Once the students are done they break into their reading groups and share their quotes. Each person shares their quote, followed by the rest of the group giving a comment on that quote. The person who read the quote ends the discussion with his/her comments.
Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings
LESSON ACTIVITIES by DUSTIN MIHM
Concordia University Wisconsin
Spring 2010
Anticipation
Activity #1: (Comprehension)
A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. (Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge, establishing purpose, self-correcting and self-monitoring)
B.4.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. (Write expressive pieces in response to reading, viewing, and life experiences (narratives, reflections, and letters) employing descriptive detail and a personal voice)
For this activity, I would take the entire class to the computer lab to view the opening writing prompt. The writing prompt is on writeboard.com, so they would each need a computer. The writing prompt looks into one of the main themes of the book: friendship. The prompt explains how friendship relates to the story without giving the story away. Then it asks each person to write their own meaning of friendship and how to build a stronger friendship. It will get the kids thinking about what might happen in this book regarding the three friends. For responding to the prompt, each student will have to comment on the writeboard.
http://123.writeboard.com/740a14685cb41ccc6
Password: redkayak
Activity #2: (Vocabulary, Phonics)
D.4.1 Develop their vocabulary of words, phrases, and idioms as a means of improving communication. (Consult dictionaries, thesauruses, and other resources to find and compare definitions, choose among synonyms, and spell words correctly)
This activty will build some vocabulary knowledge before they start reading the book. The words on this list are difficult words that many young kids will not know. First, I would write each word up on a board in my class and ask if anyone knows any of the words. This will be good for gaining prior knowledge from anyone in the class. After that, each student will have to use a resource to figure out the meaning of each word (dictionary, internet etc.). Once they finish finding the definitions, they can get a partner and try to group the words in categories. One category could be boating/crabbing. This will use their problem solving skills to see how many different groups they can come up with. Once they finish, each pair will be able to present their groupings and tell the class why they grouped each one. Each group will have to pronounce the words to the class to practice phonic awareness.
Activity #3: (Comprehension, Vocabulary)
A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. (Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge)
E.4.2 Make informed judgments about media and products. (Identify images and symbols central to particular messages)
This activity is used for activating prior knowledge. The web tool shows a picture of the Corsica River, where this story takes place. There is a small map associated with this picture that shows where the Corsica River is. The class will discuss what they know about that area of the country and any information they know about living on a river. This can be a very broad topic to allow them to activate as much prior knowledge as possible regarding this picture. Some of the information may not relate to the story at all, but it will still be good to share because the students will listen and may gain something new from it.
Building Knowledge
Activity #1: (Comprehension, Vocabulary)
A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning)
This activity calls for students to comprehend the characters in the story. There are three pictures of people in this web; each can represent anyone from the story. However, two of them are boys and one is girl, so the students have to follow the picture. They can choose any character to write about. They have to find an adjective that describes each character to put in the green boxes. After that, they have to find a sentence in the book to show how the adjective fits the character. The students will be able to analyze the story and comprehend it using this activity.
Activity #2: (Comprehension, Fluency)
A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning)
B.4.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. (Write nonfiction and technical pieces (summaries, messages, informational essays, basic directions, instructions, simple reports) that convey essential details and facts and provide accurate representations of events and sequences)
This activity is a journal writing. The picture here, shows a web, but in kidspiration it can be put into a writing form that could be used for journal writing. The story will be broken up into small pieces to read every day. After each reading, the students will be required to do this journal writing. These are basic questions to show that they are comprehending what they are reading. I also added a few opinion questions to allow them to write what they liked or didn't like about he reading. They will have to turn the journal entries in to me the following morning.
Activity #3: (Comprehension, Vocabulary)
A.4.1 Use effective reading strategies to achieve their purposes in reading. (Comprehend reading by using strategies such as activating prior knowledge, establishing purpose, self-correcting and self-monitoring, rereading, making predictions, finding context clues, developing visual images, applying knowledge of text structures, and adjusting reading rate according to purpose and difficulty)
This activity will build knowledge about the Corsica River and living in Maryland. The prior knowledge activated from the picture shown of the Corsica River could be written in the K column of what the students already know. They can write anything they want to know about living on a river in Maryland in the second column. I may need to give them a few questions as examples or to help them figure out what they might want to know. While we read the story, this sheet could be next to them and everytime they learn something, they can write it down in the L column. This activity would be done individually. At the end of the story, the students could be broken into groups to share what they have each learned. Each person may have written something different down than everyone else.
Consolidation
Activity #1: (Comprehension, Fluency, Phonics)
A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning)
B.4.1 Create or produce writing to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. (Write expressive pieces in response to reading, viewing, and life experiences (narratives, reflections, and letters) employing descriptive detail and a personal voice)
This newspaper article could be a fun activity to use in the class. Students can read the article to practice reading fluency and comprehension. I would also break the class into groups and have each person practice reading a couple sentences out loud to each other to practice phonics. Once they finish reading the article, they will have to try to find clues from the story to help Brady figure out what happened. They will work in groups to find as many clues as they can. Once the group is done finding clues, they will individually write a letter responding to the newsletter. The letter will need to be addressed properly, include the clues they found and finish with a closing salutation.
Activity #2: (Comprehension, Fluency)
E.4.2 Make informed judgments about media and products. (Identify images and symbols central to particular messages)
A.4.2 Read, interpret, and critically analyze literature. (Recognize and recall elements and details of story structure, such as sequence of events, character, plot, and setting, in order to reflect on meaning)
This will be another fun activity for the students to use their listening skills. The boy in the picture just became friends with Brady, and needs help finding out what happened to Brady. The students will have to listen to him and then respond to him. Each student will create their own picture with a moving mouth. They will be able to record their answers and watch themselves talk through this picture. This will work on comprehension to know how much the students remember from the story. The fluency will come when they orally respond to Brady's new friend.
Activity #3: (Comprehension, Fluency)
C.4.3 Participate effectively in discussion. (Volunteer relevant information, ask relevant questions, and answer questions directly. Reflect on the ideas and opinions of others and respond thoughtfully)
This activity is called Save the Last Word for Me. Each student would get a note card and have to write a quote from the book on one side. The quote can be about anything: something they liked, something they would want to try, something they have a question about, something they disagree with etc. Once they have a quote, then they are to write multiple comments on the other side about why they chose the quote. Once the students are done they break into their reading groups and share their quotes. Each person shares their quote, followed by the rest of the group giving a comment on that quote. The person who read the quote ends the discussion with his/her comments.